People of all ages came together to work with 3 charities and plant new wildlife hedging at Isle of Wight Steam Railway at the weekend.
IW Steam Railway Calbourne Club members joined Wight Nature Fund and Aspire Community of Ryde to plant 450 fruiting hedge plants at Havenstreet.
This includes hazel for nuts, blackthorn for early pollen and sloes, elder for pollen in May and June and berries, dog rose for pollen through Summer and rose hips in Autumn and rowan for berries.
The hedge has been planted next to where the Wight Nature Fund Autumn Hedgelaying competition was held.
Led by Thomas Cowley, Trustee of Wight Nature Fund, the lengths of hedging were planted to link up young trees forming the new Heritage Orchard.
As the orchard and hedging grow, local wildlife, including pollinating insects and butterflies, birds and red squirrels, will benefit from an enriched environment. This location is particularly important to provide insects to support the rare Bechstein’s Bat population in the nearby Briddlesford Copses.
Visitors to the Steam Railway will benefit from a more attractive area, with spring blossom and fruit in the Autumn.
Brilliant! However, wouldn’t it be better to involve schoolchildren in their own education? Get them out of their laptops, into the fresh air, where they will be able to apply any knowledge taught in schools to a more practical ‘hands-on’ experience.
Great to see.